In this paper, a novel risk-based, two-objective (technical and economical) optimal reactive Power dispatch method in a wind-integrated Power System is proposed which is more consistent with operational criteria.  The technical objective includes the minimization of the new voltage instability risk index. The economical objective includes cost minimization of reactive Power generation and active Power loss. The proposed voltage instability risk employs a hybrid possibilistic (Delphi-Fuzzy)-probabilistic approach that takes into consideration the operator’s experience, the wind speed and demand forecast uncertainties when quantifying the risk index. The decision variables are the reactive Power resources of the System. To solve the problem, the modified multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm with sine and cosine acceleration coefficients is utilized. The method is implemented on the modified IEEE 30-bus System. The proposed method is compared with those in the previously published literature, and the results confirm that the proposed risk index is better at estimating the voltage instability risk of the System, especially in cases with severe impact and low probability. In addition, according to the simulation results compared to typical security-based planning, the proposed risk-based planning may increase the security and economy of the System due to better utilization of System resources.

A new Regionalization algorithm is presented to improve wide-area backup protection (WABP) of the Power System. This method divides the Power System into several protection zones based on the proposed optimal measurement device (MD) placement and electrical distances. The modified binary particle swarm optimization is used to achieve the optimal MD placement in the first step. Next, the Power System is divided into small protection zones (SPZ) using the topology matrix of the Power System and MD locations. Finally, the SPZs are combined to accomplish the main protection zones and protection centers according to electrical distances, degree of buses, and communication link constraints. The introduced Regionalization formulation can help provide a rapid and secure WABP for Power Systems. This method was applied to several IEEE standard test Systems, and the simulation results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.

The cyclical economic downturn in the United States has forced many Extension administrators to rethink and adjust services and programming. The Cooperative Extension System (CES), the organization primarily responsible for governmental Extension work in the United States, at Iowa State University responded to this economic downturn by restructuring its organization from county based to a regional model. This paper shares the experiences of key administrators in planning this restructuring process and the lessons learned. This experience and the restructuring processes used have implications for administrators in all organizational settings.

Due to the stochastic nature of wind energy, allocating an appropriate investment incentive for wind generation technology (WGT) is a complicated issue. We propose an improvement on the traditional incentive, known as capacity payment mechanism (CPM), to reward the wind generators based on their performance exogenously affected by the wind energy potential of the location where the turbines are installed, and therefore, lead the investments towards locations with more generation potential. In CPM, a part of investment cost of each generator is recovered through fixed payments. However, in our proposal, wind generators are rewarded according to dynamic forecasts of the wind energy potential of the wind farm where they are located. We use an auto-regressive moving average (ARMA) model to forecast the wind speed fluctuations in long-term while capturing the auto-correlation of wind velocity variation in consecutive time intervals. Using the System dynamics (SD) modelling approach a competitive electricity market is designed to examine the efficiency of the proposed incentive. Performing a simulation analysis, we conclude that while a fixed CPM for wind generation can decrease the loss of load durations and average prices in long-term, the proposed improvement can provide quite similar results more efficiently.

This paper presents a new method for designing of Power System stabilizer (PSS) based on sliding mode control (SMC) technique. The control objective is to enhance stability and improve the dynamic response of the multi-machine Power System. The mathematical model of the synchronous generator is first transformed into a form that facilitates the design of nonlinear control schemes. Then, a sliding mode controller is proposed. In order to test effectiveness of the proposed scheme, simulation will be carried out to analyze the small signal stability characteristics of the System about the steady state operating condition following the change in the parameters of the System and to the disturbances. For comparison, simulation of a conventional control PSS (lead-lag compensation type) will be carried out. The main approach is to focus on the control performance which later is proven to have the degree of shorter reaching time and lower spike.

The operation of protection Systems has a considerable impact on Power System reliability. The main reason for cascading outages is protection System misoperation. Protection Systems affect Power System reliability from two perspectives: First, incorrect operation of the protection System due to the failure of any of its components that causes failure to operate or undesired tripping. Second is the incorrect operation of the protection System due to the incorrect setting of relays. In the second case, the protection System is healthy, and incorrect operation is only the result of the erroneous setting of relays. In this paper, an analysis of Power System reliability regarding failure and incorrect settings of the protection System is paid. This paper proposes an eight-state Markov model for a transmission line and its protection System incorporating protection System miscoordination distingue from failure to operate and undesired trip. The situation of network lines in the period of simulation time has been determined by the sequential Monte Carlo method, and the reliability indices such as Loss of Load Probability (LOLP), Loss of Load Expectation (LOLE), Expected Energy Not Supplied (EENS), and Expected Frequency of Load Curtailment (EFLC) are calculated. The proposed model is applied to a 6-bus IEEE RBTS network, and the reliability indices are calculated and compared from both perspectives to show the importance of the proposed model.